Waterfalls Karen's Side
by Peaceouttalove
Summary: Sequel to Boundless. Karen's life is changed forever when she follows her brother and his friends one night. Now she must deal the immortal world and the magic world. Not to mention her first ever boyfriend. But there's one problem...A war that begins in her two worlds creates what could be an apoctoplitic ending for everyone. Can Karen and her friends survive? Kyman involved.
1. Intro

**Hello and welcome to Waterfalls; Karen's Side, the sequel to Boundless (one of my most successful fics yet, thank you all for that!). This story, however is going to be different. It's Karen's side of the story written mostly in her POV. Hope you enjoy!**

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**Waterfalls; Karen's Side**

**Chatper 1: Intro**

"Show me your scars." Kenny said. "What are you talking about?" I asked cooly. "I know you're hurt, let me see." How could I argue with my brother's gentle tone? I rolled up my sleeves revealing purple bruises where the girls held me down as they- Kenny lifted the lower half of my shirt where there was one giant ugly wound on my belly.

"Who did this to you?" "It doesn't matter." Kenny lifted my chin so that I met his eyes. "Tell me who it was." "This isn't your battle." I said. "Yes it is. It's my job to protect you." "No, it's not. I'm twelve years old, I need to start tomaking care of myself." "Karen, if you're getting bullied then-"

"What are you gonna do when you get married to Jenny?" I asked, "Then you'll have to go and take care of her. _She's_ your responsibility not me." "So that's what this is about. Just because I'm gettina married does not mean that I'm abandoning you. I'll always be there for you. I promise." Kenny said. He pulled me into a hug and then continued tending to my wounds.

There was a knock at the door. "Yo, poor boy, you coming or not?" one of Kenny's friend shouted. "Yeah, I'll be there in a second." Kenny shouted back, "I have to go, Karen, I'll be back in the morning." "Where are you going?" I asked. "Just out with my friends." He kissed my forehead and made his way to the door.

"But you can't go!" I cried "You have to tell me a bedtime story." Every night he would tell me tales about a masked hero named Mysterion (but he was real he was my Guardian Angel and would come to me whenever I was crying). "Sorry, Karen. This is kinda important." I watched my brother leave and don't know what possessed me to utter, "Can I come with you?" "No. Go to sleep I'll be there when you wake up."

He never even told me where he was going. Kenny never ditched me like that. Something must be up. So, I snuck out and followed him and his friend to see what he was up to. "Isn't she too old for bedtime stories?" his friend asked (He must've overheard our conversation). "Never. Karen'll always be my baby no matter how old she gets." "So what are you and Jenny gonna adopt her? 'Cause I know you poor people tend to be all inbred, so why not have your sister as your daughter." I was starting to get the impression that this friend wasn't very nice. "Do you even hear how stupid you sound?" Kenny said back cooly.

"Say whatever you want about me, but I'm bounded the the head of the council." the friend replied. What was that supposed to mean? "Dude! That is so fucked up. How could you bound with Cornelius?" Kenny cried. "NO! Dafaq did you get that from? I was talking about Kahl. Didn't he tell you? Cornelius thinks that he might retiring in the next century or two, and the dude that was supposed to replace him mysteriously died, i think he was bound or something, so anyways, he's training Kahl to take over. That's why he's not here right now, he's with Cornelius." Did he say century? I must've heard wrong. "Well then good for Kyle. I don't see why you have to be bragging about it though. You're not even _on _the council." Kenny said. "Yeah, we'll neither are you!" the friend shot back.

I freaked when Jenny ran right by me and came up behind the boys. If she had just turned her head a little to the left, she would've caught me. "Hey dudes!" "Dudes," Kenny laughed, "You've even adapted to our terminology." He planted a kiss on her cheek. "Hey, I might be wearing heels, but I'm just as manly as you guys...Speaking of you guys, we're one short, well more like two if you count that annoying little blonde kid who sometimes joins us." Jenny said.

"Kyle's training to be the next Cornelius, and what do you have against Butters?" Kenny asked. "Please, Kinneh, the bitch doesn't even open her mouth to explain." "Don't call my fiancé a bitch, Cartman!" Kenny shouted. "No, it's fine, Ken, he just lacks selfesteem from being a bastard, so he has to rip on others typical psychology,of course, you wouldn't know about that dumbass because oh I just said it you're a dumbass." Jenny said. "Did you say something, bitch, 'cause I just heard you yapping away like the little bitch you are." Cartman said.

Kenny stepped in between them."Guys, please, knock it off!" "But she started it!" Cartman said. "I most certainly did not! You started it!" Jenny said. "I don't give two shits who started it, just stop!"

The three continued to walk in silence until they reached a clearing already filling up with others. It was a little out in the open so to ensure my hiding spot, I ducked behind a bush. They approached a man and another one of Kenny's friends. "Good evening, Kenny, Jenny, Eric." the man said. "Good evening sir." they said in unison. "I believe you are all good friends with Kyle, he has replaced our unfortunate friend Carl and is training to take over my job in the next century or so when I retire."

"Hi-I mean good evening, guys." Kyle said awkwardly. "As you can see one of his downfalls is forgetting that protocol is to act formally." the man explained. "Sorry, I'm nervous, and they're my friends so I act really casually with them." "Yes, and this is why you have going to many years to practice." That sounded better, I must've imagined them saying centuries, they were obviously saying years.

"Anyway," the man continued, "one thing Kyle needs to learn is the correct way to draw immortal blood, so why not teach him using his friends. That actually ended quite well last time." Draw immortal blood? Did immortals (not that they were real) even bleed? "It is in fact easiest with the person you know best. Eric, why not you?"

"I would, but it won't work." Cartman said. "What do you mean it won't work?" the man asked. "He means because of our bound, we can't hurt each other." Kyle explained. "Is the bound really that strong?" the man seemed intrigued. Kyle just shrugged. "I thought you knew already." He shook his head. "Bounds are very mysterious things and work in many different. It is impossible to know everything about one, even for the two possessing it."

"No, I think we pretty much know everything about our bound." Cartman said. "No, like I said, that is impossible. Eons from now you may discover something major about the bound and that will probably only begin to clarify everything the bound is capable." the man said. Eons? I didn't even know what an eon was but sounded like it was a really long time. "Wait, you're talking about the bound like it's alive." Kyle said. "It is. That's why most forms are illegal. But we are not here to discuss bounds. Why don't we use Kenny as our test subject."

Test subject? That didn't sound good. No it sounded awful. Were they gonna drain Kenny's blood out of him? I had to stop them somehow. But what? How could I stop them? I was completely outnumbered. Sometimes if I tried hard enough I could get Mysterion to come to me if I thought for him. _'I need you, Guardian Angel. Please help me!' _

"Karen!" Kenny uttered my name as he approached Kyle. The man turned his head toward my hiding spot and was staring directly at me. "There's a human here." he said. "No, Corenlius! Please, she's just a little girl." Kenny begged. "You know the rules." Cornelius was behind the bush in a split second.

Suddenly I found myself being dragged to the center of the clearing. "NO!" Kenny was at my side fast as lightning. "Please, spare her! I'll do anything. Take me, kill me, do whatever the hell you want with me, please just don't hurt her!" I had never seen my brother this desperate. He looked like he was about to cry. "It's OK, Kenny, Mysterion will save us he always does." I assured him. "No, Karen, he won't. Oh Cornelius, please, I know what the rules say, but you can't-" "Enough, Kenny!"

Kyle approached us. "I can bite her!" "No, she's so young unlike you it is rare to see such a young controlled vampire." Cornelius said. "Vampire!" I cried. Kyle tried to argue with Cornelius once again, "But I wouldn't be a vampire right now if it wasn't for Kenny, you let Eric into the immortal world, why not let Karen?" "Your mind is clouded by your bound." "This has nothing to do with my bound!"

"Tell you what," Cornelius said, "since you all seem so attached to this girl, you won't have to see it happen." "No, I'd rather be with her when it happens." Kenny said and I realized he was crying. "When what happens?" I asked. Cornelius completely ignored me and called over an old lady form the other side of the clearing.

"What do you want, Cornelius?" the lady asked. "A potion to make this all over with faster." She took one look at me and nodded, "Give me a moment." Cornelius turned back to us, "Say your goodbyes while Helga prepares her potion."

"Goodbyes?" I asked. Kenny wrapped his arms around me. "You have to be brave now." he whispered, "You're gonna take the potion that the nice witch gives you, and you're going to think happy thoughts, and be brave for me, OK." "OK." "I love you, Karen." He kissed my cheek.

Jenny was crying as well. "You're a doll, Karen, probably would've been the best flower girl a bride could ask for. Not to mention the best sister-in-law. Oh God, Ken, I can't do this." The two just stood there staring at me and crying. The sight broke my heart and I wanted to cry, too, but I didn't. Kenny told me to be brave for him. He was always brave for me so now it was my turn to be brave for him.

Helga returned with a glass vile filled with a grey liquid in her hand. "Just a drop will do, sweetie." she said. "Cornelius, please, it doesn't have to be this way. If I could just-" "No means no, Kyle, you're not in my spot yet so you have to follow my orders." "Yes sir."

"Now, Karen, I believe it is." Helga said. I nodded. "Once you drink this potion, I need you to jump into that creek, can you do that?" I shook my head, "I can't swim." "Oh for heaven's sake, don't test my patience, just give her the potion." Cornelius shouted. "But she needs to be completely submerged in water in order for it work." "But I can't swim." I reminded them. "Irrelevant, this potion will make your lungs will implode regardless." Cornelius said.

"WHAT?!" My lungs were going implode. But I'd die. I looked around at the somber looks on the people around me. "Oh God!" I choked. I _was_ going to die. That's why Kenny and Jenny were crying. "It's going to be OK, Karen." Kenny assured me (but he was still crying).

"Mysterion walked the plank once." I said clutching the vile in my hand. I approached the creek. "He was brave, sacraficining himself for the sake of the pirate princess. Now it's my turn." I let a drop of the grey liquid hit my tongue, and then dived into the water.

With my eyes shut tight, I felt myself sinking, and I waited for the horrible pain in my lungs, but it never came. Instead a field a sharp tingling pain in my lower body as my legs smashed together. I kicked trying to separate them, but they had become one. Instead of indivual kicks it was just one powerful thrust. I suddenly felt myself lifting to the surface.

I opened my eyes and looked around at all the shcoked faces, except for Cornelius who looked rather angry and Helga who was grinning. "Very funny, Helga, but as we all know the sea herb, even in its liquid form only lasts for an hour." "Oh, wrong again, Cornelius, I placed an everlasting enchantment on it, making the effects permanent."

Kenny jumped into the water and hugged me. I wiped his tears with my hands. "No more crying." I said, "You have to be brave for me." This made him only hug me tighter. "Kenny, you can hug her after the ritual, now she must learn about what she has become." Helga said. "What do you mean?" I asked. Besides being able to swim, I was no different than I was five minutes ago. "Look down my dear where your feet should be." "OK, but I don't-Ohmygod!" I gasped and screamed for what seemed like hours before accepting the fact that my lower body had been replaced by a bright purple mermaid tail!


	2. Magic

**Waterfalls; Karen's Side**

**Chapter 2: Magic **

_'I'm a mermaid. If a drop of water gets on me, I'll grow a tail.' _This was so amazing. I wasn't listening to a thing Helga was saying or doing. I was too busy wondering when I would wake up.

"Karen, did you hear me?" Helga snapped me out of my thoughts. "Huh!" "I said the ritual is over. Your brother is waiting for you on the other side of the clearing. But before you go, I need to give you this." She handed me a thick and heavy book. "The magic handbook, merpeople edition." I read the cover aloud. "You should familiarize yourself with it by the time of the next full moon when we meet again for a nother ritual." I nodded and was about to head back to Kenny, but then turned back to Helga. "Thank you." I gave the witch a hug. "You're very welcome."

I then joined Kenny and Jenny who both hugged me at the same time. "Don't worry, I know joining the immortal-well in your case magic world can be a little scary at first, but I'll help you through it." "Thanks, Ken."

"So you excited to learn how to use some mermaid magic?" Jenny asked. "What?" I asked. "Well, one of the best things about being an ageless immortal is the magic...well, we call them elements, but I consider them to be magical and since your in the magic world I'm sure it'll be more magical." "But I thought only the witches and wizards can use magic." "No, we all can, and so can you now that you're one of us."

A strong gust of wind made us both look up to where Corenlius was talking to Kyle."Kahl, calm down." Cartman said. "No!" The winds picked up. "Shit, you're gonna blow us all away!" Kenny said. "You didn't hear what he said." "But it is true, Kyle. You need to break your bound in order for you to fully takeover my job." Cornelius said calmly. "No, never!" Kyle shot back.

"Then perhaps I was wrong choosing you for this. Think about this now, Kyle, it's the chance of a lifetime or a silly bound." Cornelius said. "Why is this coming up _now_?" Kyle asked. "Because it has only occurred to me now how strong your bound is and how much it affects your thinking patterns. I'm a busy man, I suggest you make your choice now." Cornelius said.

"I guess I don't really have a say in this." Cartman said. "Of course you do, it's your bound, too, and I am not breaking it!" Kyle said. "Are you sure? I know it'll be painful, and things probably won't ever be the same between us, but I don't want it to be the cause of you loosing out on this chance." "Dude! Do you even hear yourself? It's no wonder everybody calls you a dumbass."

Kyle turned back to Cornelius, "My decision is final. The bound stays." "Shame. I just have one more question that might make you change your mind. Do you know what happened to Carl?" Cornelius said. Kyle shook his head,"No sir." "He made the same choice you did." "So you're gonna kill me just because I didn't take a job offer?" "Well, there's always the chance that you will end up taking the job offer." "This is sick!"

"Kahl, just take the offer!" Cartman said. "No way! I'd rather die than give up our bound, and up until now I thought you'd do the same." Kyle said. "All right, so let it be spoken, so let it be done." Cornelius said. "NO!" Kyle shouted and lightning crackled in the sky.

I screamed as the ground suddenly shook below me. "What's happening?" I shouted over the sound of the wind. The night sky was now covered by thick dark storm clouds. Only a minute after the first raindrop hit my cheek, I felt that tingling feeling returned to my legs.

"I'm gonna change!" I cried, but nobody heard me over the sound of the storm. As I fell to the ground, I watched the clouds form into a funnel shape. Kenny shouted something at Kyle as the tornado hit the ground. Then everything was blocked out by the sight and sound of the huge whirlwind heading right for me. Another second and I would end up like Dorthy. Longing for my legs, I squirmed about trying to make a run for it.

The twister suddenly made a rapid veer to the right, sparing me. It was now heading towards Cornelius, but like me he was unable to run. A bunch of rocks smashed together forming people were holding him down. I thought I saw a flicker of fear in his eyes, but I could've been wrong.

Kenny rushed to my side, "Karen, are you OK?" "I'm better than OK, I'm a mermaid!" I flipped my tail in the air, showing it off. He let out a sigh of relief and then turned back to Kyle, "Kyle, this is ridiculous! You could've killed her." "No, I know what I'm doing." His eyes were shut tight and balls of sweat were falling from his forehead.

"Well don't just stand there, dumbass, do something!" Jenny shouted at Cartman. "Me? But Kinneh's the one who can control people." "And it would be a hell of a lot easier if I were bound, if only I-Oh wait a minute, _you're _bound, Cartman!" Kenny said. "Oh son of a bitch!"

The funnel was just a few feet away from Cornelius. "Kahl, you can't do this! I mean come on, you're the only vampire I know who doesn't go after humans." "I'm doing this for us, Eric." "Goddamnit, Kahl, stop!" "You'll be thanking me soon." "Stop it now, or I will break our bound!" Kyle whipped around to look at Cartman, his eyes were red not green. "You wouldn't!" "I would. I'm dead seriouslah, Kahl, if you don't get rid of that twister right now, I'll go to Helga and get the potion that will-"

Kyle collapsed and the storm stopped, like nothing had ever happened. I was the first to break the silence, "Was that what you meant by magic, Jenny?" She ignored me and stared down at Kyle. "Is he OK?" Kenny asked. "I don't know. I don't understand, I should be out too." Cartman said. "Unless by threatening to break the bound you-" He cut Jenny off, "No, I would know if our bound was broken, and it wouldn't kill Kahl."

"He's not dead." Cornelius said. "This is why bounds are illegal, and why I must kill every single one of them. The bound has grown too strong and won't be able to be held captive for much longer." "What are you taliking about?" Cartman asked. "Your bound won't rest until it kills both of you from the inside." "That's ridiculous. We have complete control of the bound, if we didn't we would've broken it so it didn't get it out of hand." "Don't you understand, Eric? It's too strong to break now. It's already getting out of hand. Consider this a warning." Cornelius said and then he disappeared into thin air.


	3. Waterfalls

**Waterfalls; Karen's Side**

**Chapter 3: Waterfalls**

It had been almost three weeks. I thought things would be different, but they weren't. I had no magic, still got beat up, and worst of all I had no friends. My tail hadn't been seen since the storm that almost killed Cornelius (unless you count it's appearances in the bathtub). Speaking of that storm, Kyle still hadn't come out our his coma. So Kenny was gone most of the days, hanging with him in ths hospital.

"I mean Cornelius even said he wasn't dead." Kenny said. "I wish I was dead." Cartman said. "Do not give up hope." Helga said," Although it's unclear, I did see some sort of future for Kyle. That's why I came here, to show you what I see." They were too focused on Helga's flowerpot to see me walk in.

"Karen, you can't just wait for fate to find you, you have to sarch for it." Helga said. Guess I was wrong. What was that supposed to mean? "Thanks." I said and headed upstairs to my room. How was I gonna search for my fate? And how would I know if I found it?

_'Resort to water, the element can answer a fish's every question.' _I jumped. "Who said that?" My room was completely empty, except for George, my goldfish. But he couldn't...No, I might be a mermaid, but that didn't mean...'_Perhaps it's time you read the handbook more closely.' _I gasped as I remembered reading that we could talk to fish! "This is amazing! George, you can talk...And I can talk back."

'_Yes, Karen, and part of communicating is listening. You need to get yourself in water.' _"But George you know how much the water heater costs. I don't want to raise the water bill to raise for no reason." I said. '_No, you must find a natural body of water.' _"But we live in Colorado, it's no where near the ocean." _'I didn't say ocean, I just said a natural body of water.'_ "Stark's Pond!" I said, "Thanks, George, I've gotta go find my fate!"

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I never realized how deep Stark's Pond went. I was lying on the floor, with my eyes shut, trying to find out what George and Helga meant. "Please someone show me my fate!" I cried. A strong current suddenly lifted me off the floor and dragged me towards the surface.

But when I reached the surface, I was no longer in Stark's Pond, I was somewhere else all together. I was surrounded by waterfalls, reflecting rainbows in he center of the water. I swam beyond one of the waterfalls, only to find that the water stopped and stretched into a long hallway. My tail would be useless here, so I figured that I would swim back. Steam appeared on the ground, and stretched its way up until it was completely covering my tail, heating it up. The smoke continued its journey upwards, covering the rest of my body and then fading when I was dry.

At this point, I was terrified, but something told me to move forward. The hallway led me to a room full of brightly colored stainglass windows. The center window had a picture of the waterfalls I had just come through, but it was different, there were merpeople and fish in the water. The next window had a picture of a mermaid with a black tail in the water; a black puff of smoke was covering the waterfalls behind her. The window after that still had the mermaid with the black tail, but the black smoke had covered everything behind her, not just the waterfalls, and underneath her the merpeople and fish from the first window were dead. The last window had a picture of me in the water, and the words '_Welcome to Waterfalls, Karen. In this castle you shall find your destiny.' _were written in the sky.

I blinked making sure I was seeing this right. Sure enough, I was there in the water, smiling. There was a tiara on my head. Was this real? Maybe I had drowned, or maybe I was eyes went to the words. OK, so apparently this was a castle called Waterfalls, what I didn't get was what it meant by destiny.

"So it's true, you have arrived." a woman said. I spun around and met the black tailed mermaid's menacing brown eyes. "What do you want?" I spat. "Well isn't it obvious, Princess." Princess? I might have a body guard (Mysterion), but I was no princess, we could barely afford hot water.

The mermaid suddenly pushed me backwards into a tank full of water. As I swam back to the top, she snapped her fingers and bars appeared, blocking me. "What are you going to do, keep me locked in here forever." I cried as she walked away with a grin.


	4. Fate

**Sorry for the wait. I've been busy with stuff. I'll try to update sooner next time. Thank yoj for your cooperation **

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**Waterfalls; Karen's Side**

**Chapter 4: Fate**

I pushed against the bars, trying to escape. This was ridiculous. The mermaid simply had To come back and free me. How could she not? In the meantime, I tried screaming for help. Surely there was someone else in this castle who would hear me.

_'You shouldn't be here, Princess.' _A sleeping turtle was in the tank with me, but now he was awake, staring at me. "Are you talking to me?" I asked. '_Yes. You shouldn't be held prisoner here, like I. You should be trying to serve your fate as prophecy fortells.' _"My fate?" I echoed. _'Yes, it is fortold that you must free Waterfalls from the wrath of Lucinda. And become the true princess.' _"So Lucinda is the mermaid with the black tail?" _  
_

_'Yes. Once Waterfalls was a place of magic and peace for mermaids and fish to live run by a beautiful mermaid queen. She created strengthen love with spells and enchantments to a type of magic you might be familiar with: bound. But one day Lucinda, a horrible soul, killed the queen, and placed te bounds in a dark magic container, making them one of the most dangerous things in them magic world. And the stronger the bound gets, the more likely she is to control the stronger half of it. Her goal is to use this weapon to kill Cornelius and Helga like she did the queen and take over the magic and immortal worlds. This is truly why bounds are illegal. Now all Waterfalls is is a of captured fish and mermaids are being held captive here like you and me and at least half of them die here a day.' _

"So Kyle was being controlled by Lucinda, that's why he tried to kill Cornelius." I said. I had to get out of here and...do something somehow. It was my fate. I had to find out a way to save the bounds and the priosoners. But how? I couldn't even defend myself from bullies. How in the world was I supposed to stop a super powerful evil mermaid? OK, first thing's first, find a way out of here.

'_Use the water.'_ the turtle said. "What?" '_Concentrate on the water, and you will be able to control it. That is if you are a true mermaid let alone the true princess.' _"OK, OK." I shut my eyes and focused on the water. "I am one with it." I whispered, not quite sure where the thought came from. But it was true, the water was part of me, I was part of the water. When I swished my hand forward, the water pushed against the tank until the glass broke.

_'Freedom! Thank you, Princess. I am forever in your debt. Good luck.' _the turtle said as he slowly walked away. To give hima faster escape, I let the water carry him out of Waterfalls. As the water left and turtle left, so did my tail. Now what? "Follow your gut." I told myself, again, no idea where that came from.

Well, right now my gut was telling me to keep walking through the castle to see what I could find. "Fate here I come." I said as I walked foward.


	5. Return

**I kinda forgot about this story. Sorry. I promise I'll make it up for you guys somehow. Thank you. I'll be updating soon. **

**Waterfalls; Karen's Side**

**Chapter 5: Return **

There were at least a million other tanks full of merpeople and fish on may way to...wherever I was going. Even though the water was contained, I still managed to push it against the tanks, and free them. "Wow!" a mermaid with a blue tail which matched her eyes, watched in amazment as her legs appeared. "I haven't seen these things in months. Thanks, Princess." "Don't mention it." I replied.

After about a hundred more tanks, the turtle from earlier returned. "Oh hello, what are you doing here?" I said. _'I am here to repay you for not only freeing myself but the rest of my family. I am going to help you on your quest.' _"Well, gee thanks, I need all the help I can get because I haveabsolutely no idea what I'm doing."

'_Your destiny is your own job. I can only help you find it.' _the turtle stated. "OK, then can you help me find Lucinda. I think the first step to defeating her would be finding her." I said. _'I believe she is right around the corner.' _"Thanks...Say I didn't catch your name." '_My name is Todd.' _"Well, it's nice to meet you, Todd." '_Likewise, Princess.' _

We wrapped around the corner, and sure enough, Lucidinda was there, her back turned to us. She was staring into a large golden bowl. '_That is where she is containing the bounds with her dark magic.' _Todd explained. "What do I do?" I whispered. '_Follow your gut.' _

"Once you awaken, it shall be Cornelius's downfall." Lucinda mumbled. My gut wasn't telling me anything right now, but I couldn't just apstand here and let her kill Cornelius through control of Kyle.

Todd suddenly sneezed which made Lucinda turn around. Shoot, she saw us! "Well, well, well, look at what the tide washed in." She made a grab for me, but I dived out of the way, just in time, bumping into the golden bowl which fell to the ground and cracked. A thousand tiny lights flew out of it and fade. In the distance. "NOOO! My bounds. You stupid bitch!" "They weren't your bounds to keep!" I shot back.

"Forces of darkness, after her!" Lucinda shouted. Suddenly black mist floated out of the remaints of the bowl and made its way towards me. Todd stepped forward, "_Darkness, spare her and take my soul as your sacrafice!_" I gasped as the mist changed it path and swirled around Todd. '_Run_!' he cried, '_Save yourself, Princess.'_ Then his eyes shut and he fell to ground as the mist returned to the broken pieces of the bowl. And with that I ran and cried.

* * *

I had to go back was the only thought in my head as I ran back home. It was my fate and duty to destroy Lucinda. Kenny left a note by my bed explaining that he was over at Kyle's because he woke up. Of course, I broke the dark magic bowl.

When I came in, Kenny greeted me. "Where have you been, Karen?" "This magical place called Waterfalls, but-" Ike appeared out of nowhere. "Guys, can you tell me why there's some creepy dude in Kyle's room?...Hey, Karen." "Hey, Ike." I managed to choke out. I was always shy around him becasue he was the cutest kid in the sixth grade. I just smiled awkwardly and probably looked really stupid.

"Last time I checked just he and Cartman were in there." Kenny said. "Oh, well, now some weird guy came in through the window, but when I get beyound the door, they all yell at me to get out." Ike explained.

Kenny and I peeked our heads into the door and saw Cornelius with Cartman and Kyle. "Karen, we need to speak to you." Cornelius said. I nodded and walked into the room.

"So, is it true that you are the Princess of Waterfalls?" Cornelius's question shocked me. How did he know? "I think so." I replied. "See, I told you she was my savior." Kyle said.

"Yeah, I destroyed the her dark magic bowl thingy that was containing bounds and I freed all the fish, but I have to return and destroy Lucinda." I explained. "Yes, do what you must do." Cornelius said.

"Karen, wait!" Kyle called after me. I turned, "Yes?" "Thank you." I smiled, "Your welcome." And then I left.

When Kenny asked me where I was going I said, "After my fate." I was surprised he didn't follow me, but what I didn't realize was that Ike was following me.


	6. Victory

**Waterfalls; Karen's Side**

**Chapter 6: Victory **

Ike caught up with me right before I could jump into Stark's Pond. He grabbed my arm, "What are you doing? You'll freeze in there." "I have to do this, now get away." I said. "No!" Ike decalred, "I want to know what's going on." "Nothing is go-"

The water behind me suddenly came to life; a giant tear drop rose from the pond and wrapped around my stomach. I screamed as it tried to pull me backwards into the pond. I knew two things for sure. First being that Lucinda was controling the tear drop. Second, if I wasn't changing now, then I would definitely change when I fell into the water and Ike would find out my secret.

Panick began to spread all over me. Now matter how much I willed the tear drop to release me, it wouldn't stop tugging. I was about an inch away from the pond now. Desperately, I reached out trying to grab onto something-anything. I was so afraid that I didn't realize I was squeezing Ike's hand tighter than I had ever grasped anything in my life. He was then pulled into the water with me.

Down and down we were yanked until we reached the deepest underwater tank within Waterfalls. Sure enough when the tear drop dissolved into the rest of the water, my tail made its appearance.

Ike sank to the bottom of the tank and I realized his lungs were pretty much done for. Shoot! My mind went to the handbook...What did it say about air bubbles? I didn't have anytime to think this through. So, I did the only logical thing that popped into my head (it works in movies plus Ike's super cute so I had to), I put my lips to his and began to breath air into his mouth.

It was at that moment that I remembered all I had to do was touch him and focus on an invisible bubble expanding around him. Ike's eyes fluttered open. I pulled away, my cheeks looking like bright red tomatoes. That was until he pulled me back and the next thing I know we're kissing for real!

I closed my eyes, taking in the moment. Is this really happening? Am I really having my first kiss, with the hottest guy in the grade? His lips tasted like heaven. It seemed like hours, but only seconds later, Ike pushed me off of him and screamed.

Oh right, my lower half. He must've not seen it until now. "I-I can explain." I stammered. "You're a-You're a-How the hell is the possible?!" Ike looked around, petrified, as he realized his surroundings.

I swam closer to him, "Look, I know this seems crazy, but-" "Get away from me! You freak!" Ike cried. Freak? I would say different, but one look at my tail and I was deemed that. I felt like crying. Ike thought I was a monster.

"Welcome back, Princess, it looks like you brought a friend along with you. He'll probably have the same fate as that stupid turtle." I instantly recognized Licinda's sinister tone and sure enough she was standing out of the tank. "You really think this tank can hold me?" I said. "I'm in complete control of the water, so you won't get out as easily as you did last time."

She was right. That's why the tear drop attacked me like that, she was controlling it. There was no way out of here this time. Oh who was I kidding? Coming here was a mistake. I should of just staid out of the water knowing that I saved the bounds and all the fish and merpeople trapped here. Why wasn't I satisified? There was no way I could defeat Lucinda. I'm only twelve and she's like...I don't know one-hundred-fifty. And now I was stuck here because of my stupidity. Crying underwater is a weird feeling, but I was just gonna have to get used to it because for now there was nothing I could do except float here and sob.

"Karen, did you hear me?" Ike said. "Huh?" He was looking me over with a look of curiosity on his face. Suddenly he seemed less disgusted and more intrguied by me. I wonder why his reaction changed.

"I said that you're making the glass crack." Ike explained. He gestured to the tank. There was large crack beginning to form in the glass that I swear wasn't there a second ago. "But I'm not doing that." I stated. "Well something is." Ike said.

We waited a few minutes but the crack did not get any larger, in fact it got smaller. I knew it was too good to be true. "I-I'm so sorry." I choked and started crying again. Through my tear drenched eyes I could see the crack getting bigger again. What on Earth was this?

"Wait a minute, that's it!" Ike cried, "You're tears. They must be magic or something." Handbook; Mermaid tears can be more powerful than a magic potion if used correctly. Of course! But was I using them correctly?

"Oh come on, Karen, don't stop crying now!" Ike said. Shoot, I stopped, and the crack was shrinking. '_Come on, cry, cry, you're sad!' _I willed myself. Nothing. What was wrong with me? I was crying a second ago, why couldn't I cry now?

"OK, um...Remember in second grade we read that book about the spider and that pig." Ike said. "You mean Charlotte's Web?" I said, not sure where this was going. "Yeah, remember how sad you were when the spider died?...Well, what if a year later they decided to take the pig to the slaughter house anyway, and all of the spider's babies were still-borns. And then the barn set fire so the rest of the animals died...Along with the farmer." Just remembering Charlotte's death was enough for me, Ike didn't have to add all that extra tragic stuff to the ending.

"Good! Keep it up, you're doing great, the crack's getting bigger!" Ike encouraged me. "That's not helping! Tell me how awful I'm doing." I said as I felt my tears start to dry. "OK, you're doing awful! The crack's getting smaller and we're gonna die here and it's all your fault!...How's that?" "Perfect." I sobbed.

"You excited for Christmas?" Ike asked. I nodded. "Well, sucks, 'cause you're probably not getting any presents this year...Or those little Christmas cookies either." That pushed me over the top because it was true.

We heard the final crack and then...BAM, we were out of that stupid tank! Lucinda gasped. "How-" I blocked out the rest of what Lucinda had to say, instead I closed my eyes and focused on the water. '_Do what you think is suited for her.' _I told the whirlwinds that were rising up out of the water. They wrapped around Lucinda and dragged her out of Waterfalls. To this day, now one has ever heard from her...Victory is sweet.


	7. Coronation

**I'll have a few more chapters after this one. I'd say I'm about 75% done, but I'm going to have another book after this that is more about Kyle and Cartman and their bound. **

**Waterfalls; Karen's Side**

**Chapter 7 Coronation **

Ike swam off right after Lucinda's defeat. He wasn't at school at all the next week. It made me worry that he might be on the internet exposing my secret on every website he could find. Other than that my life kinda returned to normal...Well, as normal as things could be for me.

I didn't tell anybody about Waterfalls, not even Kenny. I'm sure he'd be fine with it, but I didn't want to get in trouble for Lucinda's disappearance. Jail would not be fun.

Everything seemed to be going back into place and might I say I was getting used to my mermaid secret. And I'm even able to control my water powers now! Which is great when it comes to the bullies. They stopped harrassing me when they realized that whenever they would try to hurt me, the sprinklers would randomly go off and get them all wet ("NOOO! I just straightened my hair. It's gonna take hours to redo do it!").

I couldn't believe it had been a month since Cornelius caught me in the clearing. Now, I was walking with Kenny and his friends back to the very place for my first "offical" ritual. Like the first day of school, I thought the first ritual was the ritual in which I had to make my first impressions, so I made myself look presentable. I was wearing one of Mom's old frilly dresses and had my hair neatly tied back in pig tails. Jenny said I looked adorable enough to eat, which I took as a good sign.

"Ready to part ways?" Ken asked as we reached the clearing. I nodded and headed over to Helga on the left side of the clearing. "Oh, hello, Princess, I wasn't expecting to see you here." Helga said. "What do you mean? I'm recognized by the council so I should be here." I said. She laughed, "Have you been to Waterfalls since Lucinda's defeat?" I gasped, "How do you-" "Just go to Waterfalls, my dear, you can use the creek just beyound the clearing if you wish."

I took Helga's advice and dived into the creek. I swam to the floor and waited for that current to drag me up to the surface but it never came. Huh, I guess it only worked in Stark's Pond. I thought for a moment bout how I got to Waterfalls in the first place. I had asked for someone to show me my fate and the current pushed me there. The second time I was dragged there by the tear drop. In both cases, it was the water that brought me to Waterfalls. So, I willed the water to take me to Waterfalls, and sure enough a current dragged me to the surface, just like the first time.

Sure enough, when I reached the surface, I was in Waterfalls. But now the water was full of fish and merpeople just ike the picture in stain glass window. They all stopped chatting and swimming and bowed when the saw me.

"Welcome back, Princess!" a mermaid greeted me. I smiled, "Thank you, it's good to be back." I might had only been here twice (and both times I was trapped in a cage like tank), but now Waterfalls felt like a home.

"Well, don't just float there, it's time for your coronation." an eel said. "Coronation?" I echoed. "Yes, we're crowning you, now come on." The eel led me beyound the waterfall to the familiar castle.

Two mermaids followed me onto land. "We're gonna get you ready. Come with us." the blonde one said. "OK." I followed them into a room full of at least ten of the most beautiful flowing gowns I had ever seen. "Which one do you want to wear?" the brunette mermaid asked. "They're for me?" I asked. "Yeah, silly, now pick one." "Um...OK...Oooh, this one matches my tail color." "Then, that one it is, Princess, just call us when you're ready for us to your makeup." the blonde said. "Makeup?" I asked. I had never worn makeup in my life (I'm only twelve years old! What is this madness?).

They left me alone to try on the dress. It was perfect fit. I don't think I had ever worn smething this pretty. I felt like a princess...Oh wait, I was one. "OK, I'm ready for makeup!" I called.

The blonde and brunette came back in and started covering my face with all types of pretty shades of colors of makeup. When they were done I didn't even recognize myself. "You're so beautiful." the blonde said as she started to undo my pig tails. "All you need know is an elegant bun...and maybe a few sparkles to top it off." the brunnete said.

"Wow." I whispered as I saw the final outcome of my makeover. The girl in the mirror was dazzling and perfect; in other words not me. I turned to the blonde and brunnette, "Thank you! Thank you, so much!" "Sure thing, Princess. Now you ready?" I nodded.

I followed them to where the water met the land. Hundreds of fish and merpeople were in the water, cheering for me. A merman stepped forward, " As the Queen's most trusted advisor, I shall be doing the honors." He cleared his throat, Karen, you have freed us all and now must take our precious queen's place.

And so you must represent us and what we stand for in the magic and immortal world. Every full moon, a very magical time, you will return to Waterfalls and hold our rituals.

It is your job to protect Waterfalls from any dark magic the threatens us.

Do you accept these regulations and are you ready to step forward and face your destiny as the next Queen of Waterfalls?" The man concluded with this question.

"I've never been more honored to say yes." I said barely over a whisper as my eyes got teary. The crowd went wild as he placed a crown upon my head and pronounced me queen.

My heart swelled with joy and excitement and nerves. The more I cried, the more rainbows appeared around the waterfalls. I really needed to find out how to control my tear magic.


	8. Visit

**Waterfalls; Karen's Side**

**Chapter 8: Visit **

I paced around my makeshift room in Waterfalls (the blonde and brunette, whose names were Wanda and Sophie would be in here to decorate the place soon) trying to wrap my head aroundthe fact that I was now a queen.

Now, like so many years ago, there were three groups, rather than two. The Immortals, the Magics, and the Waterfalls. Like Cornelius and Helga ran their worlds, I ran I turned twenty-one and become of-age, I would have to live a double life, one in and representing Waterfalls and one in the human world.

Tomorrow would start the first day of the rest of my life. I would begin by chosing my and training my council. It was my job to register newcomers and it wasn't as simple as it was in the other worlds (oh you're a vamp, cool, welcome aboard!). They had to actually prove themselves...Whatever that meant. I was told it had to be similar to the way I had proven myself but I had absolutely no idea how I did that.

Plus I had to familiarize myself with the Waterfalls handbook by the end of the night so I should get started on that. I was about halfway through the first section when there was knock on the door. It was probably Wanda and/or Sophie.

"Come in!" I called. But it wasn't them, it was Kyle. "How'd you get here?" I asked. You had to be merperson or fish with a connection to water and magic to enter Waterfalls. "I've had my share of fishy experiences, plus one of my three mastered elements is water, but it's not _how_ I came here but _why _I came here." Kyle said. "OK, why'd come here?" I replied.

"You saved my life, my bound, and my job. And if Lucinda had actually succeeded it would've led to a huge war in both-I mean all three of our worlds. So I'm here to tell you that I owe you." Kyle explained. "OK...I can't really think of anything you can do for me...except..." I trailed off. Odd thing was, I still liked Ike, but didn't want to say anything out loud.

"You can ask me for anything, Karen, money, clothes...What the hell, I'll even buy you a car if I have to." Kyle said. What would a twelve year old want with a car? All I wanted was Ike to like me back...But how?

Oh what was it that Kenny said when he wanted to hook up witha girl? I thought for a moment and then remembered. "I wanna have sex with your brother." "Jesus Christ!" Kyle cried. "I thought you were Jewish." "I am, I just...That's not something you normally hear from a little girl."

"I am not a little girl. I'm a queen! And Kenny says it all the time when he wants to be with a girl." I said indignantly. "Sorry...Your Highness. So, what you meant to say is that you like Ike?" Kyle said. I nodded. "Well, in that case, there's not much I can do. If I forced him to like you, it wouldn't be the same as him actually liking you."

"I know." I sighed, "But can you at least tell me where he's been." "Little rascal's been faking flu symptoms so Mom would keep him home from school, didn't tell me why." Kyle said. Huh. Maybe I was wrong about Ike revealing my secret. Other wise, he would've blabbed to Kyle all about it.

"Well, let me know if there is something I can do. I have to go now." Kyle said as headed towards the door. "'Kay, thanks, Kyle."

* * *

"Why, hello, Karen, what a pleasant surprise." Mrs. Brovfloski invited me in. "I heard Ike was sick, so I wanted to tell him what he's been missing in school and stuff." "Oh that's very kind of you, he's upstairs in his room." "OK, thank you."

Ike was playing with his ps3 when I came in. "Hey." I said and took a seat beside him on the bed. Ike didn't look up from the screen. "What are you doing here?" he asked. I went silent. What was I doing here? He didn't like me back, and probably never would. But there was something more important than that I was here for.

"My secret." I uttered barely above a whisper. Ike finally looked up, but now it was my turn to not want to look him in the eye. "What about it?" he asked. "Is it safe?" "Safe as safe can get." I smiled, "Thank you."

With that in mind, I left. There was nothing else to do here. "Karen, wait." Ike called. I turned back, "Yes?" "I'm sorry I called you a freak. You're beautiful and magical and anything but a freak and I'm glad you came to visit." I blushed. Well, if he was complimenting me like this, I might as well stay.

I sat back on the bed next to him. "Why haven't you been at school?" I asked. "I dunno. School's boring every now and then you have to take a break and play video games for the week." Ike mumbled as he looked back down at the ps3 I found myslef relieved that it had nothing to do with me. "That's not good. You should come back to school on Monday. I missed you." I replied. Ike's attention was on me again, "You did?" "'Course I did." I said. "I kinda missed you, too." he said. "Really?" I asked. "Yup."

We sat there in silence for a few minutes. Then Ike randomly asked, "Were you born...You know?" "A mermaid?" I clarified. Ike nodded. "No, I've only been like this for a little over a month." "How'd it happen?" "Well, I was following Kenny and-"

I stopped myself. If I was going to get in trouble for telling Ike about what I was it my problem, but if I revealed anyone else's secret, that wouldn't be fair to them. So I bean to fabricate my way around the other people Ike knew in my tale. "I was following Kenny and your brother and some of their friends out because I didn't know where they were going and it turned out they were going to a bar which I wasn't allowed into because I'm underage, so when I was heading back I saw a large group of people in a clearing." The rest of the story was true.

"Wow. So you're like a queen?" Ike said. "Yeah, I'm havign trouble wrapping my head around it, too, but you can't tell anyone about this for your safety and mine." I said. "Of course. I told you already your secret's safe with me." Ike assured me. "Thank you. That really means a lot to me."

My watch beeped. "Wow, five already. I have to go Ken's gonna worried. Bye Ike." "Bye, Karen. Maybe we could go out sometime." "Go out?" I echoed. "You know, like on a date or something." Ike said nonchalantly. "Are you asking me out?" I asked. "Yeah, I guess you can say that. So what do you say? Wanna be my girl?" Ike said. "Yeah, sure." I said. "OK, see you around." He kissed me before I left.

Holy crap, I had a boyfriend!


	9. Date

**Second to last chapter. And based on the title, I thimk you can guess what this is going to be about. **

**Waterfalls; Karen's Side**

**Chapter 9: Date**

"OK, here's a list of ideas." Ike handed me a slip of paper one day during study hall. "Ideas for what?" I asked. "Our first date, silly, we are going out, aren't we?" Well, over the past week we had been walking around hand in hand on the playground and ocassionaly stole a kiss and our facebook status said we were in a relationship, so I guess we should start going out.

I took a look at Ike's list. The first two things were a meal and movie. Too clichè for my taste. Bowling...Maybe, but I wanted something a little more romantic. Water park-Hell no! Horseback riding-If only I knew how. And the last idea on the list was the simplest, but yet the most appealing-A walk through the park.

"I like the last one." I said. "Really?...Um, OK, I'm open at four." Ike replied. "Cool! Meet me at the bus stop at four." "SHHHH! Need I remind you two that we are in a library." the teacher hissed.

* * *

Sometimes Ike's piano lesson after school ran late, so I wasn't surprised when it was five past four and I was still waiting for him by the bus stop.

"Well, well, well, look who it is. Not so tough without the sprinklers around to save you this time, McCormick." Jessica said. As usual she had two girl body guards behind her. I wasn't scared of them anymore; I had bigger fish to fry...Literally. "You know, I'd like to see how tough _you'd_ be without those losers to back you up." I replied casually. "OK, let's fight. One-on-one, woman-to-woman." Jessica said. "Oooh." the girls behind her said. "You're on."

But before either ofus could move, a hooded figure jumped in between us. About time he showed up. "Where have you been, Guardian?" I asked Mysterion. "Some things are your own fate, Karen, that you must battle on your own, but other things are-"

"Oh for crying out loud, shut the hell up!" Jessica randomly pulled out a pocket knife and stabbed Mysterion. "OW! Shit. I'm getting too old for this." My eyes probably bulged out of my head like a cartoon character when I recognized my angel's voice.

"K-kenny?" I whispered. He looked up from his bloody spot on the ground, "Yes Karen?" "It's you." My eyes got teary...Shoot, mermaid tears! I had absolutely no idea what kind of hell would break lose now.

When the drops of water hit Kenny's chest, his wounds slowly began to heal. He smiled, "For once you saved me and maybe this time I won't-" A car with a flat tire was spinning out of control and finally skidded to a stop on top of my brother and angel's body. "Damn it!" were his last words. Jessica and her gang fled the scene.

I knew the death wouldn't be permanent, but I broke down anyway. A few minutes later, when all evidence of Kenny's death disappeared (the car, the body, even the rats eating his dead body), a pair of arms wrapped around me.

"You ready, Karen?" Ike asked. I nodded, took his hand, and we left. "This is nice." I said. "Yeah, it is." Ike replied. We walked and talked for a while about nothing in particular, just life itself.

Slowly, the afternoon sky turned to night and the stars started to come out. "I should probably get back." I said. "OK, I'll walk you home." The next few minutes were clichè. Ike walked me home, told me how pretty I looked, and then kissed me good night. My heart skipped quite a few beats when I thanked him and went into my house.

The moment I shut the door, I heard a meanacing growl and Ike's screams. When I went back outside, Ike was gone!


	10. Epilogue

**Final chapter. Stay tuned for Unreal, the next in the Bounded Series. This chapt will be in Ike's POV**

**Waterfalls; Karen's Side**

**Epilogue **

I was in complete pain all over, I had never experienced anything like thisin my life. It felt like thousands of knifes were stabbing at my skin. "He's so small in his wolf form, is that normal?" spmeone's voice said from what seemed like thousands of miles away. People had been talking for a while now, but this was the only time I could make out what one of them was saying.

Suddenly, the pain died done and I was able to check out my surroundings. What had happened? I was walking Karen home and then...I was attacked by...a wolf, I think. I sat up and looked around the small room I was in.

"Are you awake now?" a man's voice asked. I looked up and recognized the dude immidiately. He was in Kyle's room righ. After he woke up and wanted to speak to Karen. Something about him creeped me out. Maybe it was just that meanacing gleam in his eyes.

"Are you awake now?" the man repeated his question. I nodded. "Good. There is much you must know." "What happened to me?" I asked. "You were attacked by a werewolf." "WHAT?" I was dreaming, I must've passed out after being attacked and this was just my crazy dream.

Cornelius, the man revealed his name, began asking me questions and then announced that I was a part of the immortal world or something. He even gave me an ID card! It was all just an insane blur to me. He then told me to familiarize myself with an immortal handbook. "With the next full moon, you'll experience your first forced phase. I suggest you arrive to the ritual early." Cornelius informed me as I left.

* * *

Naturally, Karen ws the first perosn I told. She trusted me withher supernatural secret, I trusted her with mine. "Ike, I don't think it's coincidental that this happened right after we started dating." "What do you mean?" I asked. "Well, I'm not really supposed to be with a mortal, so-" "You mean this was planned? I swear when I get my hands on that wolf I'm going to kill him!" I shouted.

But before that, I was going to figure out what I was. I (politely) asked Karen to leave so I could read through the handbook. Today began my new werewolf life.

* * *

**To be Continued! **

**Sets you up for Unreal, next book in series. Thank you all. I'll se you soon. **


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